Cristiano Ronaldo has laughed along with a journalist criticising Lionel Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or.
The Argentine World Cup winning captain captured football’s biggest individual prize yet again on Monday night, extending his record over long-time rival Ronaldo.
Messi now sits clear at the top of the record books with eight golden balls, three ahead of second-placed Ronaldo on five.
The 36-year-old’s incredible achievement seems to stem mainly from his heroics at the 2022 World Cup where he recorded seven goals and three assists in seven games to secure his country’s first title since 1986.
The trophy, though, is judged on an entire season, and at club level it was one where Messi struggled with Paris Saint-Germain and left in unceremonious circumstances.
That was one of a number of criticisms from AS and El Chiringuito journalist Tomas Roncero, who, as a massive Real Madrid fan, went after the Barcelona icon’s achievement.
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Far more surprisingly, though, was Ronaldo liking and commenting on a video of Roncero criticising Messi, by posting five crying laughing emojis.
Speaking to the camera, Roncero said of Messi’s win: “As a tribute, okay, I recognise a tribute.
“They turned it into a tribute to his career. Well, it seems like it's a good tribute. It's a very good footballing story. Either way, he's retired.
“He’s been there in Miami for a few months now. Already in the last year, [for PSG] he was withdrawn because he was preparing to play in the World Cup.
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“That happened 10 or 11 months ago. I think I've already forgotten it myself. Well, I don’t even remember the Qatar World Cup.
“This was on November 22, tomorrow it’s November again already.”
Lionel Messi wins record-breaking eighth Ballon d’Or as he beats Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to prizeAfter saying most of Messi’s World Cup goals were penalties, Roncero then went even further, taking a retrospective look at his total wins, saying in reality he only deserves five, the same number as Ronaldo.
Explaining that World Cup winners Xavi and Andres Iniesta deserved the 2012 award, he then put Robert Lewandowski forward for 2021 due to his incredible goalscoring for Bayern Munich.
And this year, the AS editor-in-chief thinks it should have been either of Manchester City’s treble winners, Erling Haaland and Rodri, with the latter deserving of a spot in the top three.
Roncero then finished with a brutal dig at Messi, reminding him of Barca’s 8-2 defeat to Bayern in 2020 that will have understandably made Ronaldo giggle.
“Gentlemen, there comes a moment where the reality is that Messi earned five Ballon d’Ors and three were as a gift.
“But hey, as a tribute to Leo, you've done a lot for football. We will always owe you for your rivalry with Cristiano.
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“And the truth is that the number eight is one that I really like. Because it reminds me of the night in Lisbon with Bayern Munich when they scored eight.
“Not every day is beautiful, right Leo?”
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